Wisdom Tree (22 page)

When the things of this world fade away, He will still be here for you. Trust in Him, and trust in His word…shared to bring you comfort and peace. Why you? Because God loves you enough to call you by name. He pours out His love to you and gives you hope. Share that love, and when you hear someone ask, “Why me?”—tell them.

REFLECT: Take a moment to ponder Christ’s crucifixion—the Savior, the perfect Sacrifice…a completely innocent Person made to suffer and die for the transgressions of others. Life sometimes does not seem fair, but beyond the Crucifixion was the Resurrection. Beyond all tribulation comes triumph.

PRAY: Lord, when trials come, help me to remain steadfast in my faith. Help me to accept Your gift of sacrifice and to remain enfolded in Your grace and peace, no matter what the circumstance.

DAY Eleven

My Invisible Friend

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.

(Joshua 1:9)

Most children have a special friend—and sometimes that friend is invisible. Some say this friend is “imaginary.” Well, God is invisible, but He’s certainly not imaginary. At one time or another, we have all been immersed in situations that strike fear at our very core. The first day at a new job, a move to a new and unfamiliar place, standing in front of a crowd to speak, or waiting in the doctor’s office for test results. But we are not alone. God is there beside us, with His arms wrapped lovingly around us as He surrounds us with the comfort and peace only He can provide. So, draw a breath and listen for His voice…feel His embrace.

REFLECT: Take time today to thank God for standing beside you and surrounding you with the grace only He can give. He is there always, to comfort and lead you. Ask Him to show you the way you should go, and do not be afraid to follow Him. Search His word, and learn of His boundless strength and power, provided for especially you.

PRAY: Lord, help me to trust You in all situations and at all times. You, Lord, are the almighty Author, and You know the way You will lead me, to bring peace and hope. Help me to listen for Your voice.

DAY Twelve

In God We Trust

Godliness with contentment is great gain. For, we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

(1 Timothy 6:6-10)

“In God we trust” is printed on money, but how can money—an inanimate object—trust in God? Well, it falls to us—the users of money—to put that trust into action. Will we buy the newest technology gadget, or support mission work that spreads the love of God? How do you spend your dollars? Do you trust God to fulfill your needs…or do you place that trust in yourself, thinking you know what you need better than God does? And, how much is enough when it comes to worldly possessions?

REFLECT: Ask God what He would like you to do to further His kingdom. Listen for His guidance. Be open to His voice and trust the direction in which He takes you. Find peace in the giving…and trust God for the rest.

PRAY: Dear Lord, please teach me to make You the center of my life in all things. Let me trust You to fulfill my needs in Your way, not through my own selfish will. To Your glory I offer all I have and all I am.

DAY Thirteen

Waiting on God

I waited patiently for the Lord; He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.

(Psalm 40:1-3)

It’s been said that time heals all wounds. But when we’re smack-dab in the middle of heartbreak it seems as if time is standing still. Life brings change and loss—it’s inevitable. And, along with these changes, these losses, comes a measure of pain. It’s tempting to numb the pain with worldly comforts such as drugs and alcohol. But God is the ultimate comforter. Cry to Him when your heart is wounded, and He will answer. He will dry your tears and turn your pain to joy. Trust in Him for all your needs.

Bow to God and cry out to Him. He knows your most intimate hurts…your deepest pain. Give everything to Him, and let Him carry the hurt for you. Seek His wisdom, and trust that He will answer you. In time, He will turn your pain to joy, and your tears to smiles.

REFLECT: God is the Master of the Universe. He formed you, and He knows you better than anyone here on earth could ever hope to. He has knocked at the door, and is patiently waiting for you to let Him in. He is the Great Healer, the Mighty Redeemer. Turn to Him and empty the hurt at His feet now—today.

PRAY: Dear Lord, when the winds howl and the waves roll help me to turn toward You and seek Your guidance. Because I know that storms bring rainbows, and tears are followed by joy. You are the Giver of Life, My Rock and Fortress. In You alone will I trust.

DAY Fourteen

Help Me, Dad

This is what the Lord says, He who made the earth, the Lord who formed it and established it—the Lord is His name: “Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”

(Jeremiah 33:2-3)

Have you ever tried to teach a teenager, only to be demoted to the most lowly and unintelligent creature on earth? By their own account, teenagers know everything, and we—their parents—are simply clueless. Sometimes our own pride and selfish independence makes us teenagers in God’s eyes. He wants us to listen, to learn, but we think He’s clueless about what we really need. After all, we know best, right? In truth, it’s only when we bow to God’s will and we seek His guidance that we learn “great and unsearchable things.”

The Lord formed the very earth where you live, and the ground upon which you travel in your daily walk. Surely, if you listen, you will find the treasure you’ve been seeking and learn the great things He is patiently waiting to tell you.

REFLECT: Relinquish your own selfish will and cry out to the Lord today. Consider all the times you’ve ignored His promptings or rejected His guidance. Ask Him to teach you His ways, and then listen for His answers.

PRAY: Lord, fill me with Your Holy Spirit and make me hungry for Your word. It’s my fervent desire to grow closer to You and to gain spiritual maturity. Let my will bow to Yours as You reveal the awesome, boundless mystery of Your ways.

DAY Fifteen

How May I Help You?

Serve Him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you.

(1 Chronicles 28:9)

Walk into any restaurant and you are most likely greeted with, “How may I help you?” Bright smile…engaging eye contact…animated voice. This greeter has put his own needs aside and is completely focused on the task-at-hand. He’s fresh-faced and eager to assist. He makes you feel glad to be there. This is the way God wants us to be when He walks through our door. He requests a willing heart and giving hands, a heart eager to do His work. And He knows the true purpose of those who come to serve.

Look around you for opportunities to serve Him today. Seek those in need and approach them with a smile and engaging eye contact. Welcome them warmly in His name and put your own needs and desires aside in order to serve. God welcomes a happy heart and giving hands—
your
heart and hands—as they cheerfully accomplish His work.

REFLECT: Consider ways you will be able to serve the Lord today. Can you offer a smile or a word of encouragement to someone in need? Grab every opportunity and watch the blessings flow. God has a servant’s heart…strive to be more like Him.

PRAY: Lord, give me eyes like Yours to see where others may have a need that I can fill. Give me a smiling face and a willing heart and hands. Fill my mouth with encouraging words and my heart with the desire to serve.

DAY Sixteen

The Man in the Mirror

Do not listen to the word and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.

(James 1:22-24)

How many times have we asked our friends questions such as, “Does this color look good on me?” or “Do these jeans make me look fat?” We are oftentimes overly concerned about our outward appearance while neglecting the inward appearance of our heart and mind. Think about it. Have you ever said to a friend, “Does this lie look bad on me?” or “Do you think I hurt her by making that false promise?” What do you think concerns God the most—the size of your jeans or the size of your heart? The color of your shirt or the words that flow from your lips?

Our Lord has set forth a guide book—the Bible—for our thoughts, actions, and words. He didn’t do this for himself—He already knows what’s desired and expected. Go into the world as a person who remembers his place—as a child of God. Cut the labels from your jeans and, instead, let the word of God define you.

REFLECT: Have you read His word lately? Have you soaked it in and taken it to heart? Begin today to draw closer to God by setting aside time each day to study His word. Make it a priority, as God has made you His priority.

PRAY: Lord, when the world bombards me with images of what it would have me be, help me to remember that my true beauty comes from serving You.

DAY Seventeen

Are We There Yet?

We pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience.

(Colossians 1:10-11)

You know the drill…a small child rides in the backseat of the car and his constant chatter is a distraction—and sometimes an irritation—to the driver. Again, he asks, “Are we there yet?” He wants the car to move faster, longs to arrive at the destination. He is beyond impatient. In our daily walk we are often like that child, scurrying at lightning speed from one task to another, devoid of the simple pleasure of life’s journey and the landscape that forms our life. Time passes in a blur, and when we do take a moment to grab a breath, we wonder just how the hours turned into weeks, months, years.

Slow down. Enjoy the ride and drink in the scenery—a sunrise, the laughter of a child, perhaps a friendly chat with a neighbor. Discover the purpose of your actions and take few minutes to thank God for the countless blessings in your life. Soon, instead of the nagging, “Are we there yet?” you may find yourself exclaiming, “Are we here
already
?”

REFLECT: Look around and discover the people you are traveling through life with. What can you share with them…including God’s love?

PRAY: Lord, when life’s hectic pace threatens to steal my joy, let me remember the countless blessings You’ve bestowed upon me. Help me to appreciate Your boundless love that paints the world with children’s laughter, kind words from a neighbor, and the beauty of a new sunrise.

DAY Eighteen

Welcome Home

Jesus said, “In my father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you may also be where I am.”

(John 14:2-3)

When I was a little girl, about five years old, my large family went on a vacation to the Wisconsin Dells. Bundled in the backseat of our Chevy station wagon, we drove for what seemed like hours, and then spent a weekend in a hotel with an indoor swimming pool—a true adventure for me! When it was time to depart for home, my parents gathered all my siblings while I sat on the balcony overlooking the pool, captivated by shimmering, blue water. Soon, the lobby grew quiet; my parents had left—without me. Did I panic? No. I knew they would return for me as soon as they realized I was missing. They had promised, and I trusted their word. Soon, a boisterous commotion filled the lobby. My parents had returned, their arms outstretched to welcome me and tears streaming down their faces. I was precious in their sight.

Aren’t we like that with God? He has promised to come back for us, and to take us to a place devoid of suffering and heartache. Do not panic…though we cannot see Him, He can see us. He knows our every thought and action, and He wants us to be with Him. One day He will return for us, arms outstretched and tears flowing down His face because we are with Him…and so very precious in His sight.